I just got back from a couple record shops in Milwaukee where I stood paralyzed in front of dozens & dozens of intriguing looking lps from African musicians. I know Fela and a few others. But the rest of these wonderful looking reissues (and new records) had me scratching my head. What do you recommend that's out there in shops today?
Sounds like you rate LPs by the cover. You say nothing about your music tastes and what beside Fela you have heard. Africa is a continent BTW and too big to lump all together. I subjectively distinguish 5 major regional styles (and dozens of sub categories): Northern Africa - Arab influenced; Ethiopian, Nigeria-West Africa, Zaire-Central/East Africa and South Africa. You might go to a site such as Dustygroove (Chicago) which has fairly good selections of recent issues and reissues and read their write-ups. http://www.dustygroove.com
Sorry. Didn't notice the last part of your question. I don't think my recommendation is currently in production, but it's a very important music release from Africa anyway.
Youssou N'Dour. Start with Nelson Mandela (1986) and move forward. Oh, and the first three Osibisa albums - even though somewhat "Westernized" and not "pure" African - are essential. They opened the gate to Africa in 1969. Have fun!
I have actually been to two distinct parts of Africa (Morocco and South Africa) so I do have a very real sense of its size and cultural diversity. But I don't have any reason to prefer one area over another and I'm interested in all of them. I rate LPs by their music mainly, but if I don't know the music, then I'm left with the cover. Which is why I'm asking for recommendations. I've heard: Hamza el Din, various Ethiopian jazz compilations, Ali Farka Touré, Amadou & Miriam, Ladysmith Black Mambazo, and some others. And yes, I know these musicians are from all over the continent and some of them have very little in common. I'm just looking for more good music.
I was just tweaking you as I thought the smily indicated. Again you might read through the writeups at Dusty groove. They actually attempt to describe the LPs. Ethio jazz means Mulatu or Hailu Mergia to me mainly but there is Ethio R&B and folk pop as well. The Ethiopiques series documents the majority of it if you haven't sampled them already. There are some LP reissues as well as the CDs again at Dustygroove. I find the African music of the 60s and 70s much more interesting than later African so I would be much more willing to chance a comp from that era. For example, I have several Rochereau albums of material between 1964 and 71 but would never buy anything after the mid 70s from him.
Check out some of the compilations released by Soundway Records (Nigeria Special, Ghana Special, et al).
I am a huge fan of Orchestra Baobab from Senegal. Start with the double CD "Pirates Choice" which covers 1982 sessions which were originally released on cassette in Senegal. The group has a number of vocalists and features the incredible Barthelemy Attisso on guitar and Issa Cissoko on sax. They reunited in 2007 and released the fine "Made In Dakar" album. In 2008 the group did a short tour in the U.S. and Europe. My wife and I flew from Houston to Boston just to see Orchestra Baobab, since they were not coming anywhere close to Texas. I am so glad we did. It ranks as one of my favorite live shows ever. I have 10 of their albums and while I would recommend "Pirates Choice" or "Made In Dakar" as the place to start, I am happy to own all of them and would buy any Orchestra Baobab album I do not own immediately upon sight.
Anything By Tony Allen who was Fela's drummer whether new or old, he is one of the few that has stuck around since the 60's and still makes amazing music. I really like his album "No Discrimination" the best though. The Nigeria 70 compilation is fantastic as are any of the african records on the Strut label (Afro Strut), Also on Strut is a record by Segun Bucknor "Poor Man No Get Brother", its also on Vampi Soul called "Who Say I Tire" its just fantastic. Any of the Mulatu Astatke records are amazing he is an Ethiopian musician. From Mali check out Ali Farka Toure. My favorite is "The Source".
Anything by Pablo Lubadika Porthos Pamela Mounk'a Empire Bakuba Zaïko Langa Langa (The Beatles of Congo) Bisso na Bisso Try to find the two Island Compilations "Sound d'Afrique" and "Sound d'Afrique II "Soukous" " which are an essential introduction to francophone Africa. Just yesterday I found a double LP called "Africa Express presents Maison des Jeunes". I took a punt because I know the music of Mali well and it was just six quid. Turned out to be sublime.
If you like Fela, check out the 'Shango' lp by Peter King, that one's really funky. Ebo Taylor is good as well.
Psychedelic Aliens - Psychedelic African Beat (Academy) Various Artists - Kenya Special (Soundway) Various Artists - World Psychedelic Classics 3: Love's A Real Thing: The Funky Fuzzy Sounds of West Africa (Stones Throw/Luaka Bop)
Try Makossa music (that of the 70's and 80's) It was a very prominent genre throughout sub-saharan Africa during the 80's. I dig a lot of African music because guitar is often heavily used and at the same time its very rythmic and easy to dance to. http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=36OzNqDzL1Q http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=fZ8LUQgbKz0 These songs are all from west/central Africa. Soul Makossa by Many Dibango is actually where MJ got his famous 'Mamase Mamasa Mamakossa' line from. Try these artists LP's Charlotte Mbango Ben Decca Ndedi Dibango Prince Eyango Grace Decca Andre Marie Tala (blind guitarist) Eboa Lotin These were all prominent makossa musicians in Cameroon (the country my parents are from) during the 60's-80's when they were growing up. Good luck
